Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The Chart Ruler: Leo Rising (The Sun)

Moving
forward with the chart ruler series, let’s talk about the lovely folks with a
Leo Rising. Now, again, the chart ruler is the planet that rules the sign that
your Ascendant is in. When you look at the chart ruler, you get an answer, in a
lot of ways, to why your life is the way that it is. It’s partially fate or
destiny and partially something that’s been conditioned into you. Either way,
if you were to write or tell your life story, the theme would certainly be your
chart ruler.

If you
were born with a Leo Ascendant, then your life story is, well, all about living
life as fully as you can. You go about life like someone who was born to do
great things. Of course, you can often get the Leo Rising individual who is
noticeably showy, loud, extroverted, or attention-getting, fitting the typical
profile. But, even the more introverted, quieter Leo Rising people (and yes,
they do exist) still live their life to be the most fabulous version of
themselves that they can possibly be. Is this the legendary Leo ego at play?
Yes, it is but it doesn’t have to mean arrogance or self-obsession (though it
can). It’s more so about a lifelong drive toward self-actualization.

How
come? Well, a Leo Rising person has the Sun acting as their chart ruler. The
Sun is the most central planet in your birth chart. Your Sun sign is the cliché
part of yourself that people who know little to nothing about astrology even
know. But, as one-dimensional as Sun sign astrology can be, it is based in
something very powerful. After all, the Sun is such an important planet. It
determines who you are. Your sense of self, identity, ego, personality; all
these things are represented by your Sun. That’s why it’s important for all of
us to identify with our Sun sign and not disown it, in some way or another.
When you don’t own your Sun, you don’t really know who you are.

Those
with a Leo Ascendant, however, most certainly own their Sun. I think it’d be
very rare to meet one who didn’t strongly or proudly identify with their Sun
sign. After all, it rules their life. When you have this Rising sign, your role
in life (Rising) then becomes to be the most authentic version of yourself
(Sun) that you can be. “Just be yourself!” is the message that’s always ringing
in your head. This is why your demeanor is so open, so personable, and so sure
of yourself. It’s amazing how much self-assurance you can exude, even if you’re
feeling rather neurotic, insecure, defensive, or whatever else. If the Leo
Ascendant person has any major hang-ups, they don’t show up in an obvious way.
The face you put on and the foot you put forward is a confident one.

From
the beginning, you’re born into a world where you constantly got the message
that it’s alright to just be you. While the rest of us have to discover our Sun
by starting our own journey of self-knowledge, Leo Rising people are given a
lot of approval, from the start, to live out their Sun. In a lot of cases, the
parents of those with this Ascendant are their biggest fans, constantly
cheering them on and applauding their endeavors. So, all of this encouragement
formed your behavioral conditioning. You learned if they wanted you to give
them a show so badly, you’d give them a show! Thus, your role as the
entertainer, the life of the party, and/or the superstar was born.

This
is also, of course, where your natural expectation of applause comes from.
Being told you are so awesome, from birth, is a wonderful thing. Yet, don’t let
this strong self-acceptance veer off into being ridiculous self-absorption.
When the Sun (self) is ruling your life, it can become quite easy to be
obsessed with yourself, if you’re not careful. This can bring on the other
possibility of being born to narcissistic parents (a more casual, harmless
narcissism, in most cases; but also, potentially, the clinical, serious kind of
narcissism) who conditioned you to behave in ways that would always make you
(and them) look good. Because of this, the hunger for other people’s applause
can become a desperate attempt to remind yourself that you’re important.

You
can look to the house where the Sun is to see where you want to be important.
If you’re a Leo Rising with the Sun in the 10th, you want to figure out your
self-importance by achieving your life’s goals, finding your calling, and
receiving the world’s respect. With a Leo Ascendant and a 3rd House Sun, your
self-importance is found through being a great communicator with a bright mind
and great sense of humor. When you hear “self-importance”, you can think “egotistical.”
That can be the case here. Yet, we are all important, aren’t we? Saying that doesn’t
mean you think you’re the most important person in the room. But, you’re an
individual with something all your own to offer. We all learn this through our
Sun. With the Sun as their chart ruler, Leo Rising people live their life by
it.

In the
end, you must be able to reach self-actualization without being too hung-up on
how your audience is going to receive your efforts. You see life from the point
of view of a performer. Well, think of yourself as a performer who doesn’t have
anything to prove. Just get out there and strut your stuff. Doing so will allow
you to entertain yourself, first and foremost, without the pressure of waiting
for others’ applause. And whatever house your Sun is in, you are meant to live
in a way where you own that life
area. If you’re ever in doubt, tell yourself that you are whatever your Sun’s
house represents. If you have a 10th House Sun ruling the chart, say “I am a
success.” With an 11th House Sun as the chart ruler, tell yourself “I am an
innovator.” Don’t let anybody or anything tell you different. Your life is
about finding true self-actualization by letting no one define you but you.

The
Sun also rules one’s relationship with the father figure. It’s interesting
because so does Saturn. But, this happens in different ways. Saturn is the
structure, the success, and the legacy or the lack thereof that the father
figure leaves behind. We walk in Dad’s footsteps through Saturn and figure out
what lessons to gain from his (or her) example, however good or bad. Therefore,
to be a Capricorn Rising means that the father will weigh on one’s shoulders
much more heavily. Those with Saturn as the chart ruler feel the pressure of
the father’s successes or failures. Meanwhile, those with the Sun as the chart
ruler usually live out the dynamic with the father in a hero worship kind of
way, unless the Sun is seriously afflicted in their chart.

Since
the Sun is the personality, it’s the father’s personality and way of being that
has such a dominant influence in the Leo Ascendant individual’s life. In a lot
of cases, there is a desire to grow up and be just like Dad. Your role in life,
therefore, can be modeled highly in his likeness. Just like Cancer Rising
people are often exactly like their mother in demeanor, Leo Rising folks usually
act just like their father. It can even come down to looking a lot like the
father.

The
males with this Rising sign and with an actual male for a father figure tend to
play this out more powerfully. Throughout life, there’s a strong camaraderie
between father and son, even when it comes to some of his foibles or flaws.
But, there can often be issues regarding their own separate identities. They
soon yearn to become men in their own right. Something I’ve noticed is that
more than a few Leo Rising men (and also men with a Leo Sun) are named after
their father and it’s something that has a lot of significance, in some way. It
highlights the underlying dynamic that these fathers often project or expect
their son to be just like him. So, when it comes to the issue of identity
(Sun), the echo of their father, in name or in expectation or in appearance, is
not far away. It can bring a certain level of resentment into the picture,
whether they realize it or not.

Therefore,
a male with the Sun ruling his chart, in particular, often has to come to terms
with becoming his own individual. But, of course, so do the women. The father
cannot either be so worshipped or such an object of comparison that they become
a distraction in the cultivation of their sense of self. The same is true of
everyone else. The relationship with the father can be projected on to the rest
of the world, throughout life, for a Leo Rising. It can make them constantly
compare themselves as being better than or less than someone else. And, yes,
even though it can make them want some of that hero worship, those with a Leo
Ascendant can also give it in equal measure. When they love you, they love you. But, they might just be in
love with the person that they want you to be rather than who you actually are.
So, it’s important for them to give other people the right to be the truest
version of themselves, as well, without unfair expectations. Some healing may
be required, in regards to the father’s expectations, to do so.

This
keeps them free to really live, which is what they fully intend to do. The Sun
is life. It makes us feel alive. And with the Sun ruling the chart, life is
about, as I said before, just living! This is why these people are so lively,
energetic, and vibrant. You can just feel the heat, the warmth, the light
coming off of them. They are like human versions of the Sun itself, also in how
they seek to shine that light upon you. As a Leo Rising, you can brighten up
everything and everyone around you. The various areas of your life – from romance
to friendship to career to the home life – are all given your special Midas touch.
You do so with a huge heart, wanting others to feel as good as you do.

If you
feel like every day is your birthday, you’re basically right. The reason is
because, with the Sun ruling your chart, your life feels like a Solar Return
all the time. Your Solar Return occurs on your birthday, when the Sun comes
back to where it was when you were born. And, unfortunately, this isn’t a time
that everyone is that excited about. For certain people, the birthday is just
another day or just another reminder that they’re aging. Well, not for the Leo
Ascendant! I would be highly surprised to find a person with this Rising sign
who didn’t adore their birthday and really look forward to it. Yet, with this
Ascendant, you are having a birthday party every day of the year. Each day is
an opportunity to celebrate being alive or being amazingly you. So, when it’s
actually your birthday, getting gifts and good wishes will come very naturally.

It’s
no wonder why Leo Ascendant people can never fully pull off the “commoner” act.
Even when they try to downplay themselves or get sloppy, they still come off as
really elegant, classy, regal, or dignified. It’s because their life is like an
endless celebration, not just in their honor but also in others’. Observing
them is like seeing a King or Queen bless their subjects with their greatness.
Whenever they rest of us have our Solar Return, we are being given a chance to
see the ways in which we can become a better, stronger version of ourselves.
Whatever’s happening, transit-wise, on your Solar Return gives you the
opportunity to be more self-actualized.

But,
with a Leo Rising, you’re always working on being more self-actualized.
Therefore, each and every year, you will reap the benefits of being so focused
on cultivating your identity. You are forever convinced that you rule and, yes,
you do, in your way. Yet, on your birthday, you get to literally rule. You take
command on that special date, every year. It’s magical to witness the fact that
you can truly make everything revolve around you on your birthday, not only
calling the shots but making it a special day for everyone else, as well. While
many people just don’t know how to make their Solar Return the amazing,
life-affirming time it can be, you certainly do. You’re one of those people who
can make your birthday a memorable event for everyone involved, even if you don’t
do anything “big” (although many with this Rising sign will). Therefore, through
your generosity and leadership, you’re reminded, every year, of what a King or
Queen you are.

I love your writing!And especially this article. My (12th house) sun is conjunct my asc in leo (orb 3). I do my "shining" behind the scene... am shy, but still... it is all about Expressing and staying strong☺

"Wow, you're just like your father" is something I hear from people all the time, and it's true. I'm just like him when it comes to demeanor and looks. I'm practically a spitting image of him. I have the sun in the 5th house, so I think this really amplifies my leo ascendant. However, my personality is more on the introverted side so I always try to downplay myself and just blend into the background but it's so freaking hard because people still notice you LOL. Since my sun is in the 5th house, I love doing creative things to get in touch with my own identity like drawing, writing, singing. I LOVE children and find that I can quite easily relate to them, and I'm happiest when I'm just experiencing enjoyment out of life. :) Great article by the way! I know I'm a little late to it but I'm kind of on a binge right now

Hmmm. I don't know about this. My fiance has a Leo Rising, Sun in Pisces in the 8th house, very close to the 9th. I feel like the sign and house placement negated everything except the resemblance to the father. Either that, or Pluto in 4th.

You can never really "know" or fully understand an 8th House Sun person, especially one whose Sun is in Pisces. He's a real mystery. So, he probably does and think a lot of this. You just don't truly know it. He will have the same huge influence when walking into a room as any other Leo Rising but no one understands why or can put their finger on it.